Table 2. Healthcare professionals’ attitudes and perceptions towards HZ vaccination (N = 281).
| Item | Statement | Strongly disagree n (%) |
Somewhat disagree n (%) |
Neutral n (%) |
Somewhat agree n (%) |
Strongly agree n (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Storage requirements make the HZ vaccine difficult to use. | 109 (38.8) | 82 (29.2) | 3 (1.1) | 73 (26.0) | 14 (5.0) |
| 2 | Ordering/administering is too complicated. | 132 (47.0) | 79 (28.1) | - | 59 (21.0) | 11 (3.9) |
| 3 | Physicians unaware of recommendations. | 78 (27.8) | 78 (27.8) | - | 101 (35.9) | 24 (8.5) |
| 4 | Too busy to recommend HZ vaccine | 75 (26.7) | 73 (26.0) | - | 102 (36.3) | 31 (11.0) |
| 5 | All non-immunocompromised > 50 should be vaccinated. | 45 (16.0) | 54 (19.2) | - | 64 (22.8) | 118 (42.0) |
| 6 | Healthy patients not at risk for shingles. | 128 (45.6) | 93 (33.1) | - | 49 (17.4) | 11 (3.9) |
| 7 | Patients are vaccinated upon doctor recommendation. | 43 (15.3) | 77 (27.4) | - | 93 (33.1) | 68 (24.2) |
| 8 | Treatment is effective, prevention not a priority. | 144 (51.2) | 61 (21.7) | - | 57 (20.3) | 19 (6.8) |
| 9 | Other health issues take precedence. | 67 (23.8) | 111 (39.5) | - | 82 (29.2) | 21 (7.5) |
| 10 | Concern over co-morbidities in elderly. | 90 (32.0) | 85 (30.2) | - | 81 (28.8) | 25 (8.9) |
| 11 | HZ vaccination is a clinical priority. | 42 (14.9) | 54 (19.2) | - | 86 (30.6) | 99 (35.2) |
| 12 | Pneumococcal/flu vaccines are priorities. | 40 (14.2) | 60 (21.4) | - | 76 (27.0) | 105 (37.4) |
| 13 | CDC/ACIP guides my practice. | 37 (13.2) | 58 (20.6) | - | 77 (27.4) | 109 (38.8) |
| 14 | HZ vaccine is safe. | 28 (10.0) | 52 (18.5) | - | 71 (25.3) | 130 (46.3) |
| 15 | Post-herpetic neuralgia is debilitating. | 37 (13.2) | 66 (23.5) | - | 78 (27.8) | 100 (35.6) |
HZ: Herpes zoster; CDC: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; ACIP: Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.